Thursday, May 23, 2013

Google Gives Patriotism a Nod in the Face of Memorial Day

Many Americans view Google with a fair degree of cynicism: one more cyber-giant run by those techie-artsy types on the Left coast.Google found itself the recipient of no small amount of scorn after choosing to celebrate Easter with a Cesar Chavez birthday tribute. No matter that Easter is the "Superbowl"of holidays for Christians the world over.

Google could have chosen an innocuous Easter graphic: baskets of jelly beans, a line of bright yellow Peeps, kids hunting Easter eggs.

But instead, the search engine dynamo opted to post a portrait in honor of late labor organizer, Cesar Chavez, perhaps due to the close ties between Google CEO Eric Schmidt and President Obama. The President released a statement early in the day declaring:

“I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate service, community, and educational programs to honor Cesar Chavez’s enduring legacy.”

But this week Google chose the "2013 U.S. Doodle 4 Google" national winner that should warm the heart of every patriot, 12th-grader Sabrina Brady of Sparta, Wisconsin. Google received 130,000 submissions and millions of votes; but it was the simple and touching high schooler's doodle, "Coming Home," that captured the hearts of voters.Sabrina's doodle displays a young girl running with an American flag to the open arms of her dad, a soldier returning from duty.

Someone at Google should be applauded--or perhaps the votes should receive the kudos. Google has garnered loads of goodwill as we approach Memorial Day, a day set aside since 1868 to honor our fallen servicemen and women.Google wrote in their blog on Wednesday:

"It tells the story of her reunion with her father as he returned from an 18 month deployment in Iraq. Her creative use of the Google letters to illustrate this heartfelt moment clearly resonated with voters across the country and all of us at Google."

And talented Miss Brady has won more that Google's praise and national admiration for her illustration portraying her dad's return from Iraq, she has also won "a $30,000 college scholarship, a Chromebook computer, and a $50,000 technology grant for her school."Well done, Sabrina! With a moving picture you touched hearts across America with your artistic message of our brave troops and a father's love.And well-played Google! In honoring a young lady who waves the American flag and rushes to hug her dad, home from an Iraq tour, you have accomplished a marketing coup beyond measure: a new respect from a majority of America that previously merely tolerated your existence.Isn't it wonderful when doing the right thing syncs with positive brand recognition?